Rohit, Ishant Sharma to miss first two Australia Tests, also doubtful for remaining two: BCCI source
New Delhi, Nov 24: India's star opener Rohit Sharma and pacer Ishant Sharma will miss the first two Tests against Australia and are also doubtful for the remaining two after it was conveyed to the BCCI that the duo will require close to a month to be match fit.
The two, who are undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, are already out of contention for the limited-overs leg of the series, which begins with the ODIs on Friday.
They were kept in the Test squad for the series starting on December 17 but tough quarantine rules have made their availability uncertain.
"The NCA has given a report that both Rohit and Ishant will take at least another 3 to 4 weeks to get match fit," a Board source told PTI on Tuesday.
Rohit, while talking to PTI last week, had stated that his hamstring injury is fine now and he is only working on strength and conditioning to be battle-ready at the NCA.
Ishant, on the other hand, is recovering from a side strain.
"Even if they travel now they will have 'hard quarantine' since they will travel by commercial flight. Hard quarantine means not being able to train during the 14 days like the whole team," the source said.
"So, now if only Cricket Australia can convince the government and allow them to train during quarantine," he added.
It is learnt that Shreyas Iyer, who is part of the limited-overs squad, could be asked to stay back as cover for Rohit.
The Indian team, which landed here after the IPL earlier this month on a chartered flight, was allowed to train in quarantine as Australia battled a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases.
National coach Ravi Shastri had on Sunday stated that the two cricketers' chances of playing the Test series hinge on whether they are able to board a flight to Australia within this week.
"If you need to play in the Test series or any red-ball cricket, you've got to be on the flight in the next three or four days. If you aren't, then it's going to be tough," he had said.
The four-Test series, after the day-night opener in Adelaide, will move to Melbourne (December 26 to 30), followed by games in Sydney (January 7 to 11) and Brisbane (January 15 to 19).
India will be without skipper Virat Kohli after the first Test as he will return to the country to be there for the birth of his first child.
The visitors had won the 2018-19 series 2-1.
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Delhi Police team at Kejriwal residence, seizes CCTV digital video recorder
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi Police team reached the official residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here on Sunday in connection with its investigation in the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, sources said.
They said the police team collected electronic devices including CCTV DVR (digital video recorder) to potentially get the footage of the alleged assault on Maliwal on May 13 when Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's close aide, allegedly attacked her at the CM's residence.
Maliwal has alleged that the CCTV footage of the CM's residence was being tampered with.
Kumar was arrested on Saturday and produced in a court which remanded him in five-day police custody. The sources said Kumar is evasive in his replies during his interrogation.
The Delhi Police booked Kumar for molestation and attempted culpable homicide after Maliwal's complaint.
The FIR includes charges under sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Civil Lines police station.
